Sins of Hyrule
by RandomButLoved
Summary: "To know Calamity Ganon's true form, one must know the story from an age long past." Here lies a forgotten tale from 10,000 years ago. Origins of the mechanical wonders, their four original pilots, the eternal bond between the princess and her hero, and the Gerudo man whose tragic destiny it was to become the creature he swore to protect the land from; these are the sins of Hyrule.
1. Chapter 1: Prophecy

_Well, long time no see! Ever since the E3 trailer for the sequel to Breath of the Wild (which was awesome, by the way), I've been toying with the idea of writing my own story of the events 10,000 years ago, and why things in the trailer came to be. Now that Ancient Roots is finally completely edited, I can finally focus on a new story without thinking about that one anymore! So here's the first chapter; i__t's pretty short, but I want to set out the basics first before I get really into it. Still, __I'd love to know what you think of it!_

* * *

**Sins of Hyrule**

Chapter 1: Prophecy

"_To know Calamity Ganon's true form, one must know the story from an age long past."_  
–King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule

~O~

It was this sort of weather that the Princess of Hyrule simply detested.

Fine rain lashed against the windowpanes harder than stones, blurring the outside world from her view as the water spattered across the glass. The wind howled in the distance, far beyond the western plains and the mountains looming on the horizon; each gust sounding like a lingering spirit desperately crying out for salvation.

It seemed only fitting that the weather would be so awful on this day.

The princess watched on from her seat beside the fireplace, its crackling flames keeping her warm as she lost herself in thought. A clock chimed quarter to the hour from the corner of the room, only fuelling her worried thoughts as she anxiously waited to be called for.

Wringing her gloved hands, the princess fiddled with her royal blue skirts in a vague attempt to calm herself down. It had been less than a week since a letter had arrived at the castle signalling the sudden and prompt arrival of the Sheikah—a clan of sophisticated magic users who were propelling the kingdom forward with their technological advancements whilst still remaining traditionally loyal to the Goddess Hylia and the royal family.

They had arrived that morning—ten in total, nine of which were monks and the tenth was the Sheikah ambassador to the throne—and their private meeting with the King had lasted for hours. Whatever they spoke of for so long mustn't have been good, and when she was summoned to her father's office moments after the Sheikah departed, she knew that something was very, very wrong.

_Breathe…_

But she couldn't help it. Nerves bubbled up from her gut as the torrential downpour outside only grew worse by the minute, her heart pounding against her chest in time with each new onslaught of rain; the windows shuddering against the wind. Busying herself by peering out into the courtyard below, her eyes immediately found a familiar lone figure braving the elements to train.

_He'll catch his death in this weather…_

"Your Grace?"

Her breath hitched; she mustn't have heard the door opening.

Craning her head, the princess spotted a rather timid guard standing in the newly opened doorway to her father's office; it was time. Nodding simply, she stood and made her way towards the slightly ajar double doors, steeling herself as the guard opened the doors fully for her to enter.

The King's office was as grand as it had always been, rich oak bookcases adorned with gold lining the large circular room, the marble floor decorated with a plush woollen rug. From a black chain hung a chandelier lit with blue flames—a Sheikah invention made to replace wax candlesticks. Between each bookcase was either a standing candelabra or hanging armour, the latter decorated with crimson tapestries.

Behind the thick oak desk were two high arched windows overlooking the glory of Hyrule's rolling plains, between them a large painting of the royal family—the princess, her mother, and her father. A large figure stood at one of those windows with their back to her, flowing purple robes swaying as they sighed and turned to her; dismissing the guard.

"Father," she said once they were alone, bowing her head.

King Daphnes Nohansen Bosphoramus Hyrule hummed in acknowledgement but said nothing, his focus seemingly elsewhere. His circlet, adorned with gemstones from every corner of the kingdom, glowed in the blue lamplight. His features had been marred with wrinkles for years now, emerald eyes dulled by fatigue and stressed.

But despite everything, he still smiled warmly at his daughter.

"Where is Mother?" she remarked, noticing as her father subconsciously fingered his wedding band—something he always did when he was nervous.

"Where else when she is stressed?" he said, making the two smile a little— he spoke of the library, the only place where her mother could lose herself for a few hours. "Now, where are my manners? Come, my daughter; sit."

Taking a seat opposite her father, anticipation still gnawed at the back of her mind. A multitude of aged documents littered themselves across the desk, ancient lettering barely readable. Various diagrams of creatures and objects also decorated the weathered pages, scrolls tied with red rope piled up on one corner as well.

"My daughter… my dear Zelda," Daphnes began quietly, then cleared his voice. "What we speak of here must not leave this room, do I make myself clear?" She swallowed thickly, then nodded. The King took a while before speaking again, "Stories of an ancient evil have been passed down from generation to generation—you yourself heard these bedtime stories as a child."

"Of course, Father, but those were nothing but fairy tales and legends."

He carried on, ignoring her, "One of the Sheikah monks—Oman Au, he called himself—received a vision from the Goddess. He said that the Goddess stood before him and showed him the end of the world."

Zelda blinked, lips parting in shock.

_Goddesses above…_

"A-And," she stammered. "What shall bring about the end of the world?"

The King lowered his head, almost too unnerved to answer, "The bringer of despair has set foot on this land many times before. It is the incarnation of hatred and malice that has brought pain and suffering to Hyrule countless times. It shall be the scourge of this land if we do not stop it." Her heart stopped when his gaze met hers once more, nothing but terror glinting in his eyes. "The Goddess named this foul entity… Calamity Ganon."

_Calamity Ganon…_

Her gasp was audible, her body acting as if she'd been punched in the gut. For a moment, her vision blurred so much that she immediately reached out for the desk for support. The name echoed around her mind over and over again, making her world spin.

_Calamity Ganon._

_Ganon._

_Ganon._

_Ganon…_

Every child in Hyrule had grown up with some variation of the stories about the Hero facing evil to save the Princess. But this was different, this wasn't a story; this was _real_. They knew nothing about this monster, not even when it would arrive to destroy Hyrule. No one knew what it even looked like, let alone how to destroy it.

Even though she was confused by the "Calamity" part of its name, one thing was for certain: the antagonist of her bedtime stories was alive and preparing to destroy everything that she knew and deeply cared for.

Could they truly stand up to such a behemoth?

She began to fidget with the golden trimming on her sleeve as her throat dried out, effectively cutting off her voice. If she wasn't so paralysed, she would have run for the hills and kept going until she had no strength left to give. And besides, that wasn't her place to do so; it was her place to figure out how to protect her people from this evil.

_We must prevail… we must…_

But could they?

Daphnes reached out for his daughter's hand, squeezing it tightly. "That is not all…"

Of course it wasn't.

The King used his free hand to sift through various pieces of parchment on the desk, each looking more aged than the one before. Laying a small one on top of the pile, this one crisp and new compared to the rest, Daphnes said, "The Sheikah monk also claims that the Goddess spoke these very words to him."

She leaned forwards to read it, although she quickly wished that she hadn't.

'_Beneath a moon that bleeds,  
He who has returned time and time again will be freed.  
The Goddess-blood princess and fearless knight must once more face this wrath,  
Use the power of present and past if Hyrule is to last._'

A prophecy—there was no doubt about that.

This was the prophecy that would begin the battle against Calamity Ganon.

Her mind immediately began to race in a vague attempt to decipher the text, only for her heart to stop when she reread one passage in particular.

'_The Goddess-blood princess and fearless knight must once more face this wrath.'_

Zelda swallowed thickly; her breath caught up in her throat.

'_The Goddess-blood princess.'_

The princess.

It was her—the prophecy was talking about _her_.

She would have to stand up to this colossal beast.

Her blood chilled.

If what the Sheikah claimed was true—not that there was much doubt about that—not only was this colossal beast real and preparing to rise up once again, but she had been chosen by the Goddesses to defeat it. Her breath quickened; her heart began to race.

It should be an _honour_.

Then why did it fill her body with sheer terror?

_Dear Sisters…_

"The Sheikah are working on deciphering the entire text; however, it is clear that the Goddesses have chosen you and another to once again do battle with our eternal enemy." The King regarded his daughter with a quivering lip as tears began to fill her eyes. "I wish with all my heart that it was not you… but I am powerless here."

And he was. He was a king who had thousands of soldiers at his disposal, and yet had no other option but to send in his daughter and another innocent into the fray of battle instead of skilled knights. As a king and a father, he prayed that they would have enough time to prepare.

Given her position, she had only been trained on basic self-defence skills, let alone the art of war. What's more, it could take months—perhaps even years—to find the hero of this generation.

And with nothing to say when Calamity Ganon—the name made them both shudder—would strike, then how on earth would they be able to prepare with such impending doom on their shoulders?

How on earth would they be able to live up to the expectation of their ancestors?

Abandoning his seat, the King crossed the room and knelt before her, embracing his daughter tightly.

Running a hand across his back, Zelda forced herself to blink back her tears as she held her father at arm's length. "We must focus all of our efforts on finding the Hero whilst the Sheikah work on decoding the prophecy," she said, focusing on keeping her tone level. "Without him, we are doomed."

The King nodded firmly and took her face into his hands. "When the Sheikah return with answers, we shall heed their words and begin to prepare. We shall not be vulnerable—I will not allow you to fight that creature alone."

_But I must still fight it…_

"And what if they have no answers?" Zelda asked, her voice quiet and childlike.

The princess lowered her head as he squeezed her arm comfortingly, refusing to meet his gaze as he assured her, "My flower, the Sheikah will not stop until they have the answers necessary to protect the royal family and their homeland. No matter what, they will ensure that we shall be safe from the wrath of Calamity Ganon before it can destroy this world."

She forced a hum but said nothing, still unnerved by hearing its name said aloud.

Daphnes rose and motioned for Zelda to follow suit. "Once we have the necessary answers from the Sheikah, only then will the public know—they mustn't be kept in the dark. But I also cannot force you to silently bear such a burden." He paused, toying with a thought for a moment, then added, "Find him, my dear. He will do more for you than I ever can."

A grateful smile graced her features, and she kissed her father on the cheek before excusing herself. The King watched as his daughter exited his office, eyes sad as her shadow faded from sight. He could just about cope with all that he had heard from the Sheikah, but to think about his daughter going off into war—potentially alone if the hero was not found in time—was too much to bear.

No, she would not fight this battle alone; he refused it.

Nonetheless, he couldn't shake the feeling that the coming days would leave his beloved kingdom of Hyrule hanging in the balance.

Returning his eyes to the documents on his desk, he sent a steward to call for his wife; desperate for her support.

Meanwhile, the princess searched for support of her own. Upon excusing herself, it took all of Zelda's strength to not break into a run as soon as she exited her father's office. Eyes constantly followed her wherever she went, and now was no different. Those who she passed greeted her respectively, though she paid them little mine. They were completely unaware of the darkness lurking beneath the surface of the kingdom. None of them had any idea of the burden on her shoulders as she briskly made her way towards one place in particular.

None of them had any idea.

And until they were finally told, she would have to bear this burden all alone.

_No_, she assured herself. _I will not bear this alone. I cannot bear this alone…_

But what if she had no choice?

The princess's breath quickened as her eyes grew warm all of a sudden, her vision blurring with tears. No, she couldn't let anyone see her in such a state—too many questions, too much gossip, too much of her reputation on the line.

By the time she reached the same courtyard she looked out onto earlier, the rain was still falling hard and the same figure she saw before was still training. They seemed to sense someone nearby, for they stopped short suddenly and lowered their blade, breathing hard as they turned towards the nearby presence.

He was positively soaked through, dark blonde hair clinging to his brow as he breathed heavy, his grey tunic sodden too. He didn't seem to have noticed or bothered much by the rain, his cheeks flushed and eyes sharp, his attention firmly on her.

Their eyes met—green eyes finding blue eyes.

She couldn't do this alone.

Her façade shattered.

Zelda surged towards him, his blade clattering against the wet cobbles as he took her in. The man grunted as she collided with him, her knees giving way as sobs tore free from her throat. He held her tightly, soothing her wet hair with his slightly calloused hands, shocked at her emotional outburst but nonetheless allowing her to cling to him as her entire world fell apart.


	2. Chapter 2: Chance

_I'm so happy that the first chapter did so well! Thank you for the rates and review; they really keep me going! Anyway here's the next chapter, it doesn't have much action and whatnot but I really want to spend these first few chapters establishing the main characters and giving everything a nice backstory before we get into the proper part of the story. Also, I'll be using a lot of the 'Making a Champion' when describing places and clothing; like in this chapter, I used some of the clothing from Zelda's concept __art for one character. Anyway, let's get on with it!_

* * *

**Sins of Hyrule**

Chapter 2: Chance

_'The kingdom of Hyrule was once a land of lasting peace,  
A culture of such strength and wit, that suffering did cease.  
But Ganon lurked beneath the surface, strengthening its jaws,  
So the ancient people of Hyrule set out to help the cause.'_

–Ancient Song

~O~

Constantly filled with squires and knights alike, the Guards' Chamber was the epitome of activity within Hyrule Castle, constantly buzzing with noise that echoed between the cobbled walls. A sharp scent of cigarettes filled the air, adding to the sounds of clashing blades and loud noises to create a cacophony that most nobles would turn their noses up at.

Tiny stones between the cobbles shifted beneath Zelda's weight as she made her way down the steps into the hall, running her hand down the wooden railing as she held her dark skirts above the dirty stone. The walls were lined with torches and hanging armours which illuminated the wooden beams criss-crossing over the ceiling, blue flames silently swaying as she moved past them.

Training equipment was scattered across the hall. Different types of weapons lay against the walls, some left in one corner to be sharpened later. Even though it wasn't long after breakfast, many of the knights were already practising various techniques on the dummies and targets or simply sparring with one another; the laughter filling the air enough to brighten her spirits a little.

But only a little.

It had only been a few days since her meeting with her father, and the princess had felt no less burdened by what they had discussed. There was still no word from the Sheikah about when they would return to the castle with answers, and with each day that passed by without word from them only made her more nervous.

And after her emotional outburst after her meeting, there was much on her mind; which is precisely why she was in the Guards' Chamber immediately after having breakfast with her parents.

It wasn't long before she was spotted by a couple of knights, though none of them were him. They all bowed their heads respectfully, something they did no matter how many times she told them not to, then continuing on with their business as she made her way towards one of the more familiar faces.

One part of the room had been sectioned off with rope specifically for sparring practice, becoming a social space in the evenings. Around the sparring arena were statues of previous knights watching over them diligently, their past heroics inspiring the new generation to live up to them. She smiled at one of the older men who sat in the corner, his brown eyes shining with recognition as they landed on the princess.

He smiled and clambered onto his feet, "Good morning, my lady."

"Good morning, Sir Cain," the princess greeted with a smile of her own. "I trust you and Celia are well?"

He hummed. "We are; the second's almost here and she's praying for a little girl." Zelda's smile grew. Sir Cain had been the previous captain of the guard before he retired, though he and his wife Celia still lived in nearby Castle Town and made visits often to see old friends in the castle. "I assume you're here for him?"

"You know me so well."

Her expression must have been rather sheepish, for he chuckled. Scratching his grey beard, he grinned and nodded to one of the corridors and said, "He's in his room. You know the way."

Thanking him, Zelda made her way out from the Guards' Chamber and down a small corridor which lacked the elegant decorations that many of the others did—only passageways that were used by the nobles were decorated so fancily. Only a few torches lined the walls, blue flames casting long shadows down the curved hall and onto the set of steps leading into the barracks.

Like Cain had said, she knew the way like the back of her hand; she had been here countless times despite how much the nobles disagreed with her "mixing with common folk" like these. Shaking her head, the princess rounded the corner and made her way along the corridor of rooms belonging to royal guards and highly ranked knights, halting just before one room when she heard voices.

"I'll be fine. You know how he is."

"I know how he is," came the gruff response. Zelda knew better than to eavesdrop, but she just couldn't help herself. "Which is exactly why I'm worried. He's always said you were destined for great things ever since you were born, and now he thinks he has good reason to work you to the ground even more than the has before. And, knowing you, you won't say no even when you're at your limit."

The first voice sighed, "Balen—"

"We're all worried," Balen cut in. "Not just me; all of us. You're training with us all day, then with your father in the evening, and then on patrol until morning. One day, you'll collapse or fall ill or—"

"I won't be that weak," the first responded so strongly that they both fell silent for a moment. "When he finally lets me take the entry exam for royal knighthood, he'll stop. I just need to tough it out until then…"

_He's being refused his exam? But why?_

She couldn't take it any longer.

Before anyone could say anything else, she slipped into the chamber. The two men snapped their gazes over to the princess and immediately stood up from the bed and bowed their heads. They still wore their uniforms—chain mail poking out from underneath their slightly matted tunics and hanging over their worn pants—though they lacked the rest of the armour as they weren't patrolling the castle walls.

"There is no one around to care about such formalities," she said with a smirk, gesturing back down to the bed behind them. "Please, at ease."

Balen—a chestnut-haired man only a few years older than her—quietly excused himself and allowed the princess to take the spot he had left behind. Crossing the gap between her and the knight remaining, they smiled at one another; still as close as they were when they were children and his father took over the role of captain of the guard from Cain.

This was the squire who trained with his father at the crack of dawn for rigorous hours to further himself. This was the squire who spent late nights in the castle's library studying towards his knighthood. It was by watching him grow in strength and getting to know one another in the library between his training sessions and her classes that they bonded over fatigue and boredom; looking forward to every time they saw one another as they passed in the hallways.

Link, son of Sir Raven Gustaf, gave her nothing but joy.

She took a seat on the bed and patted the spot beside him, and after a few moments he asked her, "How are you feeling?"

She didn't have to ask him to clarify; she knew what he meant.

"Overwhelmed, I suppose," Zelda confessed, clasping her hands in her lap. "There is so much that we must do, and I have no idea where to start." She huffed. "If only we had the hero…"

Link hummed and shifted his weight, "You'll find him, I'm sure."

She hoped so.

"I came to apologise for my behaviour before," she said after a moment. "I was emotional after my meeting, but I should have been far more discreet; especially in public. Nor should I have interrupted your training and…"

He placed a hand delicately on hers, causing her to meet his gaze, "You don't need to apologise, Zelda."

In those few words, she already felt better, passing him a gracious smile.

"Balen looked concerned for you," the princess said, hoping to change the subject.

"Balen's just overdramatic."

"_Link_…"

His shoulders sagged at her no-nonsense tone; he should have known better than to try and hide things from her.

"How much did you hear?"

Zelda blinked, "Hear?"

"I heard you come down the stairs a few minutes ago; I know you were eavesdropping."

Her eyes widened—she'd been caught. "Link, I-I—" His chuckle broke her off, candlelight reflecting the mirth in his eyes. Zelda relaxed and allowed herself to smile a little too, though it soon twisted into a frown. "Your father is starting his training again, isn't he?"

He didn't respond, and she had her answer.

Being his son and only child, Raven was quick to start training from an early age in an attempt to make his son the youngest soldier in the Hyrulean Army. Thanks to his training, it worked; but that wasn't enough. Link and his father would train whenever they could, whether it be dawn or dusk or anywhere in between, to the point where whenever the princess saw her companion, he was completely exhausted.

He was driven to the point of collapse, but he never stopped for fear of letting his father down.

And now, after a brief few months where his father was ill and couldn't rigorously train him, the training would begin anew.

"Oh Link…"

"I'll be fine, Zelda," he assured, then added under his breath, "I can handle it."

While Zelda knew very well that he could handle himself, it didn't mean that she wished he had to endure such exhaustion.

She found his gaze, eyes already tired before the day had even properly begun—how long had he been awake and training for? The princess's expression softened as she wrapped her arms around him, blonde hair falling over her shoulders as she nestles into the curve of his neck; his hands warm on her back as he returned the gesture.

The two fell into a pregnant, but comfortable silence.

It infuriated Zelda that so much around her seemed to be tearing apart at the seams. Her mother and father were completely burdened by the Sheikah prophecy, Link was utterly exhausted by his extensive training… and there was Zelda herself, left in the middle of it all like a leaf in a storm; lost and unable to break free.

If only she had answers from the Sheikah, if only if only she didn't live each day in fear of Calamity Ganon, if only Link could be free from relentless training and enjoy his life.

_Wait…_

Something at the back of her mind clicked.

Perhaps she would always live each day in fear of Calamity Ganon, for that was outside her circle of influence; but maybe, just maybe, she could get answers from the Sheikah and free Link, if it was only for a day or so.

She had to try at the very least.

The clock suddenly chimed quarter to ten, and so Link wormed free from the embrace and pushed his hands onto his legs; clambering onto his feet and collecting his things from beside the bed. "Well, that's my calling," he remarked with a forced smile.

He jumped when the Zelda moved forward and wrapped her arms around him again tightly. Confused, he hugged her back for a moment before insisting that he couldn't be late. Smiling, she released him and watched him go, filled with resolve as his figure faded from sight.

She would not fail.

* * *

Rapping on the door a few times, Zelda waited until she could enter.

Stepping into the office belonging to the captain of the royal guard, her belly was immediately swarmed with butterflies. While nothing inside her regretted what she was about to do, she hoped that she wouldn't end up feeling it anyway. After Link left to train with the other knights, the princess quickly asked for the directions of her parents and the captain; thankfully they were all in the same place, although she was unsure why.

Despite its similarity to her father's own study, the captain of the royal guard's study was significantly less decorated and gilded; only furnished with a large desk and a rack of prized weapons hanging from the wall behind it. Other than a simple rug, a bookcase or two, and two small windows on either side of the door, it was relatively empty yet organised—a trait passed from its owner to his son.

Sat at his desk was Sir Raven, captain of the royal guard and the spitting image of his son; save for his brown eyes and worn features. Stood over him was Zelda's father, seemingly looking at some documents on the desk, while her mother—Queen Hylena Navina Harkinian Hyrule—was browsing the nearby bookshelves. Graced with a simple tiara and veil, the mid-morning sunlight lit up her golden hair and with it, the rest of the room. Her gloved fingers hovered over one book, bishop sleeves swaying with her movements.

The Queen's purple skirts swung as she turned to greet her daughter. "My dear Zelda," she greeted, crossing the room to lightly embrace her daughter. "What brings you here?"

"I came to discuss something with you," Zelda said simply, then, "And having you all here places all my eggs in one basket." Raven raised a brow in confusion as the King straightened, waiting. "I'd like to make a trip to Kakariko Village," she said after a long moment, steeling herself for a firm "no" in response.

"Whatever for?"

"I wish to discuss various matters with the Sheikah personally—perhaps I could even offer some insight into their research." Of course, the latter was impossible—the Sheikah were far more advanced in wisdom than she ever could be, after all—but the sentiment was there.

Daphnes and Hylena exchanged glances. "I am sure it will be possible; the Sheikah have yet to confirm when they will return, so a royal visit may quicken their paces," the Queen replied.

"You and your mother have always liked Kakariko in the spring," Daphnes offered.

Zelda's gut twisted, and for a second, she hesitated.

_It's now or never._

"You misunderstand," the princess said, trying to keep her voice from breaking. "I wish to conduct this visit alone."

"Impossible," was the immediate response from her father.

"B-But Father, I—"

"I absolutely cannot allow you to go." His voice was stern, his eyes hard. "It is too dangerous to go alone, and with the threat of Calamity Ganon looming—" Raven did not react; he knew. "—I will not let you wander into the dangers of the outside when you can wait with protection until the Sheikah arrive."

Zelda lowered her head, irritation coursing through her veins. Meeting the King's gaze once more, she tried once more, "Father, I—"

"Be reasonable, Zelda. I—"

"I _am_, Father," she pressed firmly. Zelda knew very well not to argue in front of other members of the palace; something her mother warned her of with a mere glance and murmur of her name; but present members be damned. "We can do nothing until the Sheikah have compiled everything together, something which may take months. We may not have months, Father, we may only have weeks. At least allow someone from the royal family to personally visit them and assess their findings for myself. Perhaps then we may be able to take our first steps against this colossal foe."

The princess inhaled deeply with heaving shoulders, praying that her words were enough.

_Please Father… we must do something. I refuse to sit idly by!_

"If you are steadfast in your stubbornness, then allow us to compromise," the King said with a deep sigh. "Allow a party to accompany you."

"I never refused a party," responded Zelda with a suppressed smile. "I came to ask Sir Raven for a small number of royal guards to join my handmaidens and I on this journey, as well as his son."

Finally, the captain did react. Caught between shock and discretion before the royal family, his eyes widened slightly at her request, mouth opening and closing a few times before her stumbled out, "Y-Your Grace, I must insist that my son remain here; he is not yet worthy of protecting you."

"Your son is an excellent soldier and a very dear friend," Zelda urged. "I understand that you would be unable to join us, given your duties, and thus would be unable to train your son. But by joining the party, he could have the excellent opportunity to train amongst the Sheikah."

"The Sheikah are far too advanced for him, my lady; he would be unable to keep up with them," was the simple reply, and the princess couldn't help but feel disheartened by the comment—did Link's father truly regard his son with such little worth?

Before Zelda could respond, the Queen stepped forwards and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder, "Before my daughter arrived, we were discussing your son, were we not?" she remarked. "Surely a chance for the Sheikah to assess his potential is something not to be missed?"

Zelda tilted her head. _Assess his potential?_

Nevertheless, Raven had nothing to say; there was nothing he could do.

"Very well, it is decided," Daphnes finally relented. "Sir Raven, fetch a small party of royal guards and prepare them—my daughter shall depart on the morrow."

It took everything for Zelda to not breathe a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Father."

From the King's expression, he wasn't entirely convinced by the idea of his daughter departing from the castle which such a small party to protect her. But when he looked in her eyes, he saw nothing but himself; outgoing, adventurous, craving for an escape.

He simply couldn't deny her.

Once royal family parted from the captain to conduct their duties, the princess was positively beaming. Not only was she able to help Link to escape from training for a few days in order to train with the Sheikah—extremely proficient fighters—but she would finally be able to leave the castle grounds after so long of being confined in them.

Though one thing did linger on her mind as she travelled down the corridors: why did her parents and Sir Raven want Link's potential to be assessed by the Sheikah?


	3. Chapter 3: Kakariko

_Well here we are again! I can't remember how long it was between this chapter and the last one, but it seems pretty long so I'm sorry for that; it was my birthday yesterday and I'm also moving to France for a year so I have so much left to sort! Either way I still love this story and can't wait to get onto writing more of it! Thank you for the flood of favourites and follows; they really keep me going! This one is another of a world building/character building chapter before I get into the Sheikah technology in the next one, so I hope you enjoy it; and for reference, I'm using artwork of Kakariko Village from Creating a Champion (just like I did with Zelda's clothing in the last one) because it's so beautiful and needs some recognition so be sure to check it out!_

* * *

**Sins of Hyrule**

Chapter 3: Kakariko

_"Kakariko Village is the village where the Sheikah clan lives. It's said that, some time ago, they had advanced techniques that were more powerful than anything anyone had seen."_

–Rensa, brother of an innkeeper

~O~

To say she was excited was an understatement.

She woke before dawn, long before her handmaidens would usually come to draw her curtains and dress her. The princess called for some tea to be sent to her chambers, hoping that it would calm her giddiness a little, gathering the rest of her things whilst she waited. A young boy—Colin, she believed—arrived with her tea soon enough, eyes glassy as if he had been up all night working.

She knew the feeling well enough.

Zelda thanked him and asked for him to send her handmaidens up and apologise to them for the early start; she would have to ask her father to reward them for their hard work when they all returned from Kakariko Village. After had he left, Zelda sat in her armchair beside the unlit fire and silently drank, her eyes constantly flickering over to the nearby grandfather clock.

It was hard to remember the last time she had left the palace grounds for a trip like this. When she was younger, her mother always used to take her to see the different parts of the "kingdom she would soon rule". But as her classes grew more frequent and she became the sole heir to the throne, she was permitted to leave the grounds to such "dangerous places" less and less.

She sighed as a knock suddenly sounded. Calling for them to enter, Zelda smiled at the two women came inside. One was Rosalie—a petite woman with dark hair and kind blue eyes—and the other was Marin—a tall slender woman with auburn hair and brown eyes. The two seemed remarkably awake despite the time, greeting the princess with smiles of their own as they ushered her to her vanity.

Sitting down, Zelda said, "I must apologise for the early start; I simply couldn't sleep today away."

"Oh nonsense, my lady," Marin waved off, "We're both just as excited. Neither of us have been to Kakariko, have we Rosalie?"

The smaller girl timidly shook her head. Marin chatted away with the princess whilst she drew parts of her hair away from her face, meanwhile Rosalie brought out a simple purple dress that, despite the corset, would be comfortable throughout the long journey ahead of them.

Once they had prepared her for the long day ahead, she allowed them to collect their things for the trip themselves while she made her way down to the courtyard where the carriage would be waiting for her. It wasn't a grand carriage as it wasn't quite a formal visit, though Zelda was rather glad that it wasn't so over the top like others she had travelled in before.

There was no farewell party for her—her parents had been trapped in meetings with the council over the future of Hyrule and the threat of Calamity Ganon from the early morning—so she simply stepped into her carriage and set off before nine o'clock in the morning. The journey itself took two days of near non-stop travel; only a few breaks given for the horses to rest and for the princess to stretch her legs.

Zelda spent most of the first day simply gazing out the open windows as the vibrant green countryside rolled by, passing by small villages and fields of ripe crops. When not caught up in her reverie, the princess began reading through a book she picked up from the library the day before named, 'Tales of the Legendary Heroes.'

It was still rather difficult for her to wrap her head around the fact that these stories had an ounce of truth to them. Historians had been constantly disputing the validity of the tales; after all, how could people live in the sky, travel through time, and live in perpetual twilight?

But now, it seemed, the princess had to start looking back over these legends far less sceptically.

Either way, she felt like a child again as she read through each Hero's incredible deeds—fiction or no—hearing her father's voice as he acted out the different voices to make her laugh. At the end of each tale, the Hero of that story would always kneel before his princess and say the same thing, "I live to serve."

Perhaps when the Hero of this age was found, he would say the same to her; the thought lingered on her mind for the rest of the journey.

Due to the location of the Sheikah village, the royal carriage was unable to be used on the second day of travelling—something Zelda was grateful for as it meant she could ride the rest of the way on horseback, just as she always loved to do. Once they set up camp for the evening and stored the carriage at the nearby stable, the princess spent the night reading and praying that she would return to the castle with good news.

The next morning, the princess stepped out of her tent in her riding gear; a high-collared, long sleeved white shirt decorated with golden buttons and half bishop sleeves, a dark waistcoat, tan pants and brown leather riding boots and gloves. Adjusting her ruby circlet, the princess ran her hands down her plaited hair, finally able to have it styled as she preferred.

The camp itself was rather bare, though everyone was already up and ready for the day, cooking breakfast over numerous fires and chatting with one another. Zelda couldn't help but smile as she spotted Link, overjoyed that he was able to join her—he already looked happier to be away from everything. He seemed to be talking to the young boy brushing down her stallion, finishing up the conversation as she made her way over to them.

"Please don't stop for me," she said, reaching out to stroke the horse's nose. Her dear horse, Lien, had been hers since she was a young girl, and so they had an incredibly strong bong. Pure white, a common tradition in the royal family, and adorned with gilded riding gear of his own. Lien nickered and nuzzled her hand.

"H-He's almost ready, Your Grace," the boy stammered, tucking the brush into his belt.

"You have done an excellent job..."

"F-Fledge," he introduced.

The princess smiled at him warmly, "Well, Fledge, you have done a wonderful job. I will be sure to refer you to my Father once we return to the castle."

Flushed with embarrassment, the boy finished up and returned to the nearby stable. Once he was far enough away, the princess turned to Link; blinking when she noticed the bemused smile on his face. "I-Is something wrong?"

He couldn't suppress his smile as he asked, "How did you do it?" She raised a brow, confused. "How did you convince my Father to let me join you?"

Zelda winked, "A mage never reveals her secrets. And besides, all that matters now is that you're here, correct?" When he said nothing in response, she added, "Now, let's be off, shall we?" But he caught her hand before she could move to mount Lien. "Yes?"

"Zelda, I…" For a second, he hesitated, meeting her eyes evenly. "Thank you…"

She simply smiled back at him before leaping onto her horse, refraining from sitting sidesaddle. Although it was seen as inappropriate for a woman—especially a royal—to ride like a man did, Link and the other soldiers knew Zelda well enough that she despised such traditions; she preferred to be comfortable and safe rather than traditional.

The party rode for the rest of the day with periodic breaks for the horses; making sure that they would arrive in Kakariko promptly before sundown. In comparison to the confinements of the carriage, she felt free and open to the elements. Out here, she could hear the trees swaying, smell the sweet scent of flowers and the breeze brushing over her skin. This was yet another reason why travelling to the Sheikah village would always be one of her favourites; the journey itself was wonderful and liberating.

It wasn't long before they spotted the entrance ahead. The princess slowed her pace as they rode under a large red torii; a way of signalling the transition from the ordinary land into the sacred land of the Sheikah. Plum trees lined the way through the pass leading into the village, reddish purple leaves swaying in the light breeze.

Upon reaching a small wooden bridge, Zelda dismounted and nodded for the others to do so as she led Lien by his reins into Kakariko. Despite their feats in constantly advancing technology, the Sheikah were also keen to hold onto age old traditions and customs. For instance, while one would assume that their village would be filled with technology, it was merely flat with layers cut into the hills to allow for paddy fields.

Numerous small waterfalls cascaded down the mountainous walls surrounding the area, creating little streams throughout. Each house dotted about had a thatched roof and were on stilts to allow for more farmland, both them and a few willow trees adorned with sigils of protection hanging from them. As well as a holding pond nearby, the village's main landmark was the extraordinary sakura tree in the centre.

Their arrival must have been noted from a distance, for there was already a small group waiting for them as someone clambered down a nearby lookout post. Wearing traditional beige jackets and dark high-collared shirts, both male and female Sheikah present had their iconic white hair tied back into top knots.

"Greetings, Your Grace," one of them said with a bow.

The princess bowed back, "Greetings. I apologise for the sudden intrusion, but I have come to visit the Elder."

"Of course," replied another. "We shall always welcome the royal family into our home. Please, follow us."

Zelda immediately began to follow suit behind the small cluster of Sheikah, making her way down the dirt path and past several gravestones that had been partially reclaimed by nature. The group lead her party through the small village, past a few workers who waved or bowed to them, and towards a small hill on the other side of town where a large building stood; one far bigger and grander than the other homes, one which belonged to the Sheikah Elder.

The building itself hadn't changed since when she was a child; a large wooden structure with a thatched roof and designed similarly to the other homes, the only difference being the shides hanging from the roof. Flanked by two royal guards—thankfully one of them was Link—and followed by her handmaidens Rosalie and Marin, the princess followed the Sheikah up the path to the Sheikah Elder's abode; leaving the rest of the party at the bottom of the hill.

Many Elders had come and gone in her lifetime, so she had yet to meet this one in person; all she knew was their name, Sheykal. The princess hoped that her sudden visit wouldn't cause too much of a fuss with them. She was broken from her thoughts as two Sheikah warriors guarding the entrance bowed their heads in greeting before silently opening the double doors for her.

Inside was a large open space filled with prayer mats for communal prayer, although it seemed that most had left to eat or run errands as there were only a few people remaining. An attendant was lighting lanterns which hung from the exposed beams in the ceiling for the evening, each one of them emitting a beautiful honey glow. On each side of the room were little nooks used for storing books and other trinkets with some parts empty for sleeping space. In one corner there were a few rain barrels and shelves for storing clothes, hats and pillows.

Off to the side was a middle aged Sheikah woman, tending to the plants on one of the tables. Upon hearing the doors creak shut, she finished watering a bonsai and turned to the party. She seemed the same as the other Sheikah women—sharp crimson eyes and traditional Sheikah garments—however, the only thing reflecting her status were the beads around her neck.

Immediately recognising the princess, the woman grinned and said, "Well, well, well, I certainly wasn't expecting this. Greetings, Princess Zelda."

"Are you Elder Sheykal?" Zelda asked. The woman flashed the princess a smile.

"The one and only," Sheykal replied, then, "Now what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I wished to assess your current research," she said, making sure not to reveal anything in front of the unknowing guards. "Your technological prowess has been a valuable asset to Hyrule, and so I wish to aid you in whatever way I can as a display of my thanks. Perhaps I could offer any assistance before reporting back to the King with any news on new ideas you have been developing."

Sheykal's eyes glinted in understanding, playing along as she replied, "You are very kind to take yourself away from your busy schedule to do so, Your Grace. We would happily accept your wisdom. Cherry," she called after a moment, and moments later a woman emerged from upstairs, "Fetch some futons for Her Grace's party and escort them to their lodgings for the evening; they will be no doubt tired after their long journey."

"Thank you for your hospitality on such short notice, Elder Sheykal," Zelda thanked with a respectful bow. As Cherry returned with some futons and began to herd the group back outside, the princess caught Link's arm, much to his surprise. He raised a brow as she turned back to the Sheikah and added, "If I may, Elder Sheykal, I have another matter I wish to discuss with you before we settle down for the night."

She waved Zelda off, "Bah, you don't need to use my title so much, Your Grace. It makes me feel like a stuffy old lady."

"Well, only as long as you refrain from using mine." Sheykal smirked and nodded, gesturing for them both to sit down on the mats. "Thank you for not revealing anything to my men earlier—my Father wishes to wait until we have everything in order to tackle this threat so he can assure the public when they find out."

The Sheikah's eyes fell onto Link. "I assume he's one of the few then?"

"Yes," she confirmed. "He's a dear friend."

Sheykal nodded, then, "I wish we could have returned to the castle with news, but I'm afraid our research has been going rather slowly—this is a threat from story books, not history, so we have little accounts of what we should be doing to prepare for his return."

"Do not worry yourself," Zelda assured. "You are doing all you can. Though we can discuss those matters in the morning with a good night of sleep under our belts—for now, there is a private matter that has come from the royal family that concerns my companion."

Sheykal hummed and cast her gaze over to Link, looking him up and down with sudden piqued interest. "Hmm, well aren't you a handsome thing? Those uniforms never do any of you any justice..." While he did his best to ignore the remark, Zelda noticed his habit of biting the inside of his cheek when he was embarrassed or nervous; she held back a snicker.

The princess coughed to catch Sheykal's attention, "I believe it would be best to discuss this as soon as possible."

Casting her eyes back onto Link, the Sheikah added, "Of course. Well I hope you don't keep me in suspense for too much longer, or are you a man of few words? Hmm, I can work with that…"

Link glanced back to Zelda, and the latter knew that it wasn't her place to stay. She quickly excused herself—to which Sheykal told her that she would stay in the Elder's abode and to explore the town until they were done so they could dine together—and made her way out into the village.

The princess into deep thought as she wondered what on earth Link had come all this way to discuss—especially since his father let him do so too. She prayed that it wouldn't end badly, but until she knew what was going on, she would remain restless.

* * *

Stepping out into the night, Zelda closed her eyes and breathed in the cool air. In Kakariko, nature came alive at night. As well as restless crickets chirping, the flowers themselves began to emit a soft glow under the moonlight. She watched on in awe as the world around her was filled with sound and a heavenly glow, making her way down to the holding pond near the middle of town.

Being away from Hyrule Castle for the first time in so long felt strange, as if she was worlds away from her life. Even the air felt different, less suffocating, in a sense. After Link and Sheykal had finished their talk, the latter dined with Zelda and avoided any questions relating to their conversation; only adding to her intrigue.

The princess sighed as she sat on a bench beside the pond, gazing into the waters before her. The moonlight reflected elegantly off its clear surface, lighting up the nearby willow tree too. It all felt so serene here, and if it wasn't for the threat of Calamity Ganon looming over them, she could have said that she felt relaxed.

"Rupee for your thoughts?"

The princess perked up at the voice, lips twisting up into a small smile as she turned to its source. "You would need more rupees than this land could offer," she replied, patting the vacant spot beside her, "Though I wouldn't mind your company."

Link flashed her a smile of his own before taking a seat beside her, studying the pond. "The blue nightshade are amazing, aren't they? Still no one knows why they light up at night…" When she didn't reply, he cast his gaze over to her, blinking at her shocked face. "What?"

"I never knew you had so much knowledge of flowers."

His smile grew sad as he regarded the blue nightshades, "My Mother used to teach me about them when I was young; I guess it stuck after all this time."

The princess didn't say anything else. While she knew little about Link's mother, she knew better than to pry on a subject that was still clearly sensitive. He'd begun training with his father not long after she passed, and so Zelda supposed that he had little time to properly grieve for her—his father too. He would mention her every now and again, but the pain in his eyes was too much to bear.

"You were with the Elder for a while," Zelda remarked in an attempt to change the subject, a silent question lingering—_'what were you discussing with her for so long?'_ Link hummed but said nothing, and the princess couldn't help but press, "Is everything alright? You know how much I worry for you." A ghost of a smile graced his features.

"I know," he said with a sigh. Something was clearly on his mind, and the princess knew him well enough to know that he would never want to hide something from her; not unless it was something terrible. She was surprised when he finally confessed, "I won't be returning to the castle with you and the party."

"W-Why?"

He fiddled with a loose piece of thread on his sleeve. "The Elder wants me to take a pilgrimage of sorts." The princess blinked a few times; a pilgrimage? Why did he need to embark on such a journey, and so soon too? He quickly noticed the look on her face and forced a smile. "I know it's out the blue, but the Elder doesn't want me to delay."

"When will you leave?"

Link avoided her eyes. "I leave at dawn."

The princess opened and closed her mouth over and over, trying without avail to wrap her mind around his abrupt departure. "B-But... what is so important that you must leave so soon?"

"I don't have a choice," he said, then, "Just… just trust me."

Zelda pursed her lips, "We've never kept anything from one another, Link. Please do not start now."

Link let out an exasperated sigh; he should have known better thank to mention anything at all. "Zelda, please... I'll explain everything when I return."

"And when will that be?" Zelda demanded, unwilling to let it slide.

"A week, maybe two perhaps."

With a huff, the princess lapsed into silence. After being friends for so long, it was infuriating for Zelda to have something hidden from her. But as she noticed his complexion and how uncomfortable he seemed, she thought more on why he would hide this from her. The princess could keep secrets, so it wasn't that, and if it was important enough for his father to let him come all this way then it wasn't something idle.

"Will you be travelling alone?" she tried, to which he nodded silently. Getting nowhere fast, she cut to the chase, "Well, at the very least you can tell me where you will be travelling to."

He swallowed thickly and tried to be as vague as he could when he said, "To the woodland in the north."

For a second, she was stunned into a confused silence.

_Why would he—?_

Then everything fit into place and realisation slammed into her like a mountain of bricks.

"No," she breathed, covering her mouth in surprise. Casting her gaze over to her companion, she murmured, "They don't think...?"

His silence was enough to answer her question.

The woodland to the north was rather empty, save for a small village or two and some old and forgotten shrines. But what the northern lands were famous for was a particular forest on the outskirts of Hyrule known as the Lost Woods, and within its depths supposedly lay the blade of evil's bane that it was the hero's right to bear whenever darkness threatened the assail the land once more; the Master Sword.

And if they were sending him there, there could only be one logical conclusion—they believed that Link was to be the Hero of this age.

The thought of it filled her with excitement and fear.

If he truly was, then she wouldn't be alone in this fight or battling Calamity Ganon alongside a stranger.

But if he was, then he would be leaping into the fray beside her; putting his life on the line with hers.

What if something happened—?

Zelda was torn from her thoughts when she noticed that the spot he once occupied was now empty. Rising onto her feet, she reached out and grab his hand before he could walk too far away. He didn't turn around as she breathed, "Link… I…"

"I'll be back before long," he reassured once she trailed off. "Then we can cross whatever bridges we need to."

"Please be safe and… come back safely."

Though she didn't see it, the princess could hear the smile in his voice as he assured, "I will."

Zelda's hand remained outstretched long after he left her, his mind too clouded to stay. She watched his figure until it was taken away by the distant trees.

It took the princess a moment to realise that her breath had quickened, her pulse beating alongside it. Something deep inside her started to panic, a fire fuelled by the need to keep him safe if what everyone believed was true—he would protect her, he always did, but she also knew that his duty could lead to something disastrous.

And if he turned out to be the Hero… what then?

Plagued with thoughts, Zelda did not sleep well that night.


	4. Chapter 4: Research

_Welcome back! I wasn't expecting to have another chapter out so soon, but I really enjoying writing this one! And thanks to a reviewer who had noticed some spelling/grammar errors in the last chapter (thank you again, by the way! :3), I resisted the urge I usually have to just upload chapters right away, so hopefully I haven't missed anything. Either way this chapter is rather information heavy, but hopefully fun to read too, so please enjoy!_

* * *

**Sins of Hyrule**

Chapter 4: Research

_"The history of the royal family of Hyrule is also the history of the Calamity Ganon—a primal evil that has endured over the ages."_

–Elder Impa of Kakariko Village

~O~

The rain fell hard, and the wind blew harder; it would have knocked her over if she wasn't already on her knees in the dirt. She was sinking into the mud, her legs and dress already caked; her body was too exhausted to move. If she wasn't so utterly tired, she would have run for the hills in a vague attempt to escape the darkness—but her body refused to budge. She held someone tightly in her arms, but it was so dark that she could barely make anything out.

Night had fallen, but the storm raging on above blotted out the night sky with its churning clouds—only one thing stood out against the blackest of nights.

A full moon drenched in the colour of blood.

Her heart was pounding, breath torn out in short, ragged gasps. She held the person closer, tighter; refusing to be alone in this din. Despite the numbness from the cold, she shuddered at the sensation of something warm dripping down her chest, recognising it immediately without even having to look down; she dreaded to think which one of them was bleeding the worst.

In the distance, she could barely make out the roaring of mechanics; an army of blue and orange lights rolling in over the horizon like giant spiders. Golden particles of light danced around her, as if a spell had just been cast. Perhaps that was why she felt so fatigued, but she didn't know any spells. Maybe it was the person in their arms, but no, the light was coming from her hand.

Her hand where the Triforce pulsated with light in time with her heartbeat.

She desperately cried out for help.

But no one came.

"He's gone," she heard herself whispering. "He's gone..."

She was shaking now; out of cold, fear, or something else entirely? The wind howled, blowing wet strands of hair across her face as hot tears leaked from her eyes and rolled down her cold and already wet cheeks. Lightning began to strike between the thick clouds, illuminating the world around her enough for her to finally see the person in her arms.

She screamed.

It was—

_Crash!_

Zelda awoke with a start, thrashing about in her tangled sheets. Sweat trickled down her brow, her body gasping for air as her surroundings became clearer; her room in the Sheikah Elder's abode. As she forced herself to calm down, she quickly spotted a small figure in the corner of the room, squeaking when they made contact.

"I'm so sorry, Your Grace!"

It was Rosalie.

But Zelda couldn't speak, couldn't assure her that it was alright. Her heart was still pounding, her body reacting as if she was still trapped in that place. No matter how many times she tried to tell herself that it was just a dream, the princess still sat there and trembled like a leaf. His face, so pale and lifeless, plagued her mind every time she closed her eyes. She jumped when her handmaiden reached out to comfort her.

"P-Princess, are—?"

Without warning, Zelda reached out and snatched Rosalie by the wrist, eyes wild as she hoarsely demanded, "Where is Link?"

"I-I…"

"Where is he?!"

Rosalie yelped as the princess's grip grew tighter. "H-He's gone."

Her gut filled with lead—no, it could be true.

"Gone?"

"Y-Yes," the young woman couldn't help but stumble over her words. "Elder Sheykal sent him on a trip somewhere—he left earlier this morning."

For a moment, Zelda remembered her conversation from the night prior.

_"The Elder wants me to take a pilgrimage of sorts. I know it's out the blue, but the Elder doesn't want me to delay."_

_"When will you leave?"_

_"I leave at dawn."_

Rosalie was right.

The princess visibly relaxed and let go of her handmaiden's wrist. It was just a bad dream, she told herself, and this time she believed it. Focusing on calming her breath, she finally said, "I apologise, Rosalie; I was out of sorts. Did I hurt you?"

"N-No, Your Grace," she replied, although she was rubbing her wrist.

"What was that massive crash?"

"E-Elder Sheykal sent for me to wake you for breakfast," the timid woman explained. "I-I must have knocked a book off the shelf o-or something—Goddesses, I'm so clumsy—I feel so terrible for waking you so abruptly, you must be so frustrated—though I mustn't assume of course, I..."

After her awful dream, hearing her handmaiden's worried rambles made her laugh a little.

"You need not worry yourself," Zelda assured. "I'm rather glad you woke me, actually."

"Y-You're too kind, Your Grace," she mumbled in response, then picked up a bundle of clothes that she dropped in fright. "Elder Sheykal also offered for you to wear these. She said that they would, um, 'be more comfortable than those corsets and whatnot'."

The princess chuckled and swung her legs over the edge of her bed, the wooden planks cool beneath her feet as she stood and accepted the clothes, allowing Rosalie to help her into the traditional Sheikah garments; thankful that they fit without any issues.

As the princess seated herself at the nearby table, she suddenly realised that Rosalie was alone. "Where is Marin?"

"Miss Marin was asked to help in the kitchen this morning; i-if you require her I can—"

"No, no," Zelda cut in before Rosalie could panic herself. "You are doing a wonderful job on your own." Being the timid handmaiden that she was, Rosalie remained silent as she helped to draw the princess's hair into a bun, fishing out some traditional hair sticks from her apron pocket as decoration. "I never knew that you knew such techniques, Rosalie."

"I-I didn't until I came here," she stammered. "I've always wanted to learn…"

Once she had finished, Rosalie stepped back with a timid smile and let Zelda to rise, and the princess couldn't help but be pleasantly surprised at her reflection in the mirror; if it weren't for her blonde hair, she could have easily passed as a Sheikah. She thanked her handmaiden and dismissed her, declining breakfast—after her nightmare, Zelda's appetite had disappeared—before making her own way downstairs.

The Elder was nowhere to be seen, though a Sheikah attendant quickly directed her towards the graveyard. Despite the early start to the day, most of the villagers were already awake and going about their daily business—whether it be buying goods from the local shop or tending to the crops. Nonetheless, it was a calm bustle that surrounded her, one which was calming after the nonstop fear that haunted her in the castle for the past few weeks.

As the attendant led her towards the graveyard on the outskirts of town, Zelda unconsciously fell into deep thought. The nightmare still lingered in her mind no matter how much she tried to ignore it—the pain, the cold, the fear, the blood, she could still feel it as if she was still there. And without Link there to assure her that he was alright, she started to ask herself whether her dream was simply just that.

The nightmare itself didn't feel right; it was too vivid. Compared to her ancestors, Zelda was not known for having prophetic dreams, but this one felt different to any other she'd had growing up. Maybe it was just a manifestation of her fears of Calamity Ganon and Link turning out to be the hero after all… however, that answer didn't feel satisfying enough.

Was it a dream, or was a depiction of future events?

The princess was so lost in her thoughts that she barely noticed the attendant leave her side. She stood in the graveyard now—a simple enough one at that, being just a small meadow lined with headstones, some of which had been lost to the ages whilst others were looked after. The Sheikah Elder stood a few paces ahead with her back to her, standing before a headstone that was remarkably clean; almost out of place.

"Good morning, Zelda," she greeted, turning to the princess with a smile. "I thought you'd want to see our progress as soon as possible."

Zelda couldn't help but smile. She had been tossing and turning in the night, itching to see what the Sheikah had done since their meeting with the King.

And now she finally could.

But why were they in the graveyard?

Before Zelda could ask, the Elder said, "I better not keep you waiting, then, had I?"

Bending down, Sheykal moved some bunches of grass out the way to reveal something that the princess couldn't see. The former messed with whatever what in front of her for a few moments before straightening. For a second or two, nothing happened—only the wind dared to make a sound.

Then the headstone in front of them slid backwards to reveal a set of steps beneath.

Sheykal caught the princess's surprised expression and smirked, "You can't be that shocked; we can't let our research fall into the wrong hands. And besides, the Sheikah are known for their secret passageways, aren't they?"

They were—Hyrule Castle had benefitted from them for generations now.

Insisting that the Elder lead the way, Zelda followed a few paces behind and made her way down the steps; her heart skipping a beat as the entrance closed behind them. They were engulfed in darkness for a few moments before an engine whirred from somewhere nearby, and blue-flamed torches suddenly lit up the corridor.

The dark walls and steps were made from a strange, smooth material that the Sheikah had crafted themselves, something which no other race had managed to replicate to such a high quality. They were decorated with swirling designs inlaid into the walls and the torches cast long shadows across the steps, the shadows of the two women dancing amongst the flames like monsters hiding in the dark.

At the bottom of the steps was a large cavern which bustled with activity. Tablets lined the walls with information on in Sheikah text, and so many researchers were already working. Zelda spotted a Sheikah nearby who was surrounded by a stack of tablets with various notes and diagrams on as well as several age-old scrolls; making sure to leave no stone unturned.

It was simply incredible to see how hard they were working.

As she passed the Sheikah, Zelda asked, "What have you found out about Calamity Ganon so far?"

"Not much," Sheykal confessed. "Several legends state that Calamity Ganon once began as a Gerudo man whose evil intentions transformed him into the King of Evil. After that, he was consumed with hatred and became Calamity Ganon. We don't know how that transformation occurred in a mortal man, but what we _do_ know is that there are no records of a Gerudo man existing for generations now."

"Which is what's making this all that much more puzzling," Zelda mused, then, "What have you been working on in the meantime?"

"Our focus has mainly been on the prophecy itself. We have tried our best to break it down as much as possible in order to research every possible meaning it could have." She gestured towards a large tablet on the wall where each phase of the moon was being tracked, notes surrounding each phase in Sheikah text.

One particular phase was enlarged; the full moon; one that was blood red.

'_Beneath a moon that bleeds,__  
_He who has returned time and time again will be freed.'__

Zelda's gut twisted—it was just like in her nightmare.

"Blood moons are an incredible phenomenon which have rarely graced our land. However, this means that they are particularly hard to track—therefore giving us no time frame to work with," Sheykal explained, and Zelda did her best to listen and steer her focus away from her vivid nightmare. "They have been around for centuries, though Ganon hasn't rose with any of them. We have no idea when the next blood moon will rise, or which one he will rise with."

The princess's shoulders slumped in a rather unbecoming fashion, but she hardly cared. So far, the research the Sheikah had conducted was far from promising.

"And the rest of the prophecy?"

"The rest has mixed results," she confessed. "The 'power of the past' has been stumping us for a bit now, but until then the 'power of the present' has been simple enough to decipher." Zelda raised a brow when the Elder didn't continue, the former following after the latter into the next cavern.

What was in there shocked her.

Off to one side was a large pillar of mesh caging running from the ground to the ceiling, a smaller pillar inside pulsating a bright blue. On the other side were large pieces of Sheikah-made materials with tablets around them depicting different animals—a crab, a camel, a ray, and a lizard were just a few.

And right in the middle was a large machine which glowed a saffron orange. The being itself seemed to be a sort of upside-down pot with eight metal legs twisting out from it. Its singular eye glittered with a brilliant blue hue, scanning the area and immediately landing on the princess.

Zelda gasped—they were in her dream too, the orange and blue lights crawling over the horizon.

They hadn't been enemies, but allies appearing to help them.

"Incredible, isn't it? We've been refining them for a while now for the Hyrulean Army, but now they'll have a new purpose," said Sheykal. "We're calling them 'Guardians' for now—they'll serve as your protectors in the coming battle. Their legs give them far better mobility than any other vehicles, and their lasers have a greater range and power over conventional weaponry. With their power, we could increase the numbers of troops in the Hyrulean Army by thousands…"

"Thousands," Zelda parroted in a breathy tone. "If so, we could double the Hyrulean Army in months, perhaps even triple its numbers... Sheykal, this is incredible..."

"And that isn't even breaking the surface."

The Sheikah Elder led the princess towards the mesh pillar, chuckling as the latter struggled to take her eyes away from the Guardian. For the Sheikah, seeing these incredible technological feats had been a part of her upbringing, while for Zelda she had only heard stories of what mechanical wonders the shadow tribe had been building throughout the years.

It was amazing.

Stopping short before the pillar, Sheykal rested her hand on the mesh exterior. "No one knows when Calamity Ganon will appear, but more importantly we don't know _where_ he will arise," Sheykal said. "With the royal family's permission, of course, we intent to erect towers across Hyrule to act as detectors—when he returns, the closest tower to him will send a signal to the main control unit in Hyrule Castle. This here is just a small portion of the tower."

"We will have enough space to have so many of these towers and Guardians?"

"We have our ways," Sheykal said with a wink, then, "In the meantime, we'll be using our research facility in the castle."

"Fascinating," Zelda breathed. "How will they know that it is Calamity Ganon? Will we post someone to each tower?"

"They will autonomously send any irregularities to the central control units, though we'll have some engineers stationed nearby in case something happens. But we haven't gotten to the main event yet," she added after a moment, clapping her hands together before scurrying off to the other side of the room without waiting for Zelda.

The princess's lips unconsciously rose as she watched the Sheikah go, surprised at how youthful she acted despite being at least 15 years her senior. Nonetheless, it made her smile at the thought of someone unfazed—or perhaps simply put on the façade of it—by the pressure she faced as a Sheikah, especially the Elder, preparing for battle against Calamity Ganon.

"And here they are!"

The two women stood before the large chunks of metal and tablets with images of animals on them. Now that she was closer, the princess noticed how detailed they were as well as the bank of notes attached to each diagram. Her knowledge of the Sheikah language was rather rusty, but she could make out a few words; '_terminal_', '_main control unit_', '_laser_'.

"So far the only name we have for them are 'The Four Beasts'," she said. "We're planning on stationing these four machines on the outskirts of Hyrule. Once the control unit inside is activated, they can unleash colossal attacks via beams of light. With the strength of these, the Guardians, the Hero, and you... I have no doubt that he will be defeated."

"And... these are autonomous as well?"

"Unfortunately, no," Sheykal confessed, "Due to their strength, they will need pilots who have been trained specifically to use this type of machinery and who are able to prevent such weapons from falling into the wrong hands. We shall provide our most suited Sheikah, so you need not worry yourself."

Zelda bowed her head. The Sheikah were known for these sorts of feats, yes, but everything she had seen felt so surreal; as if she was about to wake up at any moment and none of these machines ever existed in reality. She wondered what her father would say when she returned with such information, and how each race would react to having such creatures being built in their domains.

Then a thought occurred to her.

"You said that these creatures will be stationed on the outskirts of Hyrule, yes?" Zelda asked, to which the Sheikah nodded. "Perhaps we could have a pilot from each of the races dwelling nearby to provide us a unified assault?"

"It would take much time and effort to train them all... I don't know if we have that sort of time."

"I understand, but if we can build these beings in time for the return of Calamity Ganon, then I'm sure that will supply us with enough time to train up the pilots," Zelda countered. "But even more so, we must unify Hyrule behind this great evil. Every person must have their part to play in these delicate matters. When you return to the castle with your information, I will make sure that a representative from each tribe arrives with you."

"Alright, I'll see what I can do," Sheykal relented, taking out a small tablet from within her robes. Unlike the other tablets on the walls, this one was a handheld piece with a handle on the end and the Sheikah insignia glowing on the back of it. The Elder pulled the tablet apart, twisted the two pieces, and then fit them back together—the tablet whirred into life.

Even after everything she had seen that morning, Zelda was positively awed by it.

When the princess asked what it was, the Sheikah clarified, "Well, we don't have a name for it yet, but we made it to condense all our research notes down into a smaller, more compact form. When we return to the castle with our evidence and plans, it'll all be on here." To prove her point, Sheykal began to swipe her finger across the screen to show images of everything they had discussed so far.

"My Father will be pleased to hear about everything you've been doing," Zelda remarked after a while. "You seemed to have shortened the list to things to do considerably, and so quickly too."

"It's what we do," Sheykal waved off, turning off the tablet and tucking it away. As they started to walk back towards the entrance, she added, "I'm sorry I had to send your friend away."

The princess fiddled with her hands. "I understand your reasoning—he explained it to me last night," she added when the Elder seemed surprised at Zelda's knowledge of the situation. "Do you really think it could be him?"

"If he is, it would make this whole mess a lot easier to handle," Sheykal said with a small smile, though it soon turned into a frown. "When he was born, his Mother insisted that he had to be called Link; while she wasn't certain why, she had a feeling."

Zelda blinked a few times—she'd never been told this. "And you think it was divine intervention?"

"Whatever it was, there's something about him that seems too important to ignore."

She was right, the princess agreed. Ever since the two had first met, she was drawn to Link. Perhaps it was her desire to have some company and a friend who preferred the girl behind the crown—at least, that was what she had told herself at first. But as they grew closer, she noticed how truly extraordinary he was.

He was one of the few to reach such a high rank at such a young age; maybe that was because of his father, but she couldn't accept that. Only he was able to cope with such vigorous training from Sir Raven and keep going; most men would have constantly fallen ill or would have been on the verge of collapse, but not him. Of course, he felt the strain, he wasn't immortal after all, yet he kept going.

He was different than anyone she had ever met before, and maybe this was the reason why.

Her nightmare could have been some sort of prophecy as well, although that did little to comfort her. While it showed that there was a chance of Link being the hero that the land needed, it also meant that he would end up sacrificing himself for the sake of everyone else's safety. Zelda knew that it would be in him to do such a thing, but it didn't mean that she wanted that to happen either.

_"He's gone,"_ she had said in her dream. _"He's gone..."_

If he did turn out to be the person that Sheykal and the others believed him to be, the princess silently vowed to protect him from such a horrid fate.

As the two women continued to discuss the Sheikah technology on their way back into the heart of Kakariko Village, the princess had a renewed sense of hope that she had lost during those long weeks after meeting with her father. That hope was only a small flicker of a flame, but it was there thanks to the aid of the Sheikah.

Maybe there was some hope after all.


End file.
